Whether you’re a first-time buyer or just trying to get a better deal
this time around, you need to have goals that require you to save up some money
before you can buy a house. Then, you might be faced with the decision of
buying an old house or a new one. Could you use help making up your mind? Here
we list a few things that will make it easier.

Affordability

You surely have a budget for how much you can spend upfront on your home
purchase. We advise you to keep that budget in mind. With a new house, you
might end up paying as much as 30% more than you would over an old house. Of
course, older houses might still make you spend that 30% in the long run, so
keep that in mind.

Fixer-Upper

Older houses are more likely to require attention, fixing, replacing or
upgrading here and there, and that costs money, time and effort. Are you okay
with this? If you don’t mind and can afford to stay on top of all the
maintenance tasks, this might be the best option. However, if you just want to
save up time and effort, perhaps a new house is better for you.

The Record

With homes being such a significant investment, it is important to make
sure a particular property is a good one. When it comes to new homes, things
get a bit uncertain as no one has taken them for a test drive, so to speak.
There are no records of any appreciation or depreciation.

Older homes have the benefit of existing records as to how much money it
has earnt or lost to its previous owners, thus you are stepping on solid ground
and know exactly what you’re getting your money into.

The Design

At first, you might not think it matters much, but design affects property
buying too. And while you might have no issues upgrading the water heater, you
might be peeved by a too dated design that you can’t modify as easily. If
you’re looking into a modern design, perhaps older houses might not do it for
you.

Have your Cake and Eat it Too

Maybe reading this list has you more undecided because both old and new
houses have many advantages. Well, there is a way to have a bit of the best of
both worlds. You can always just buy an old house with excellent foundations
that will allow you to upgrade it over time giving it that shiny new set up
that you don’t wish to compromise.
Now you know, getting a house is all about
affordability, time, effort, design, comfort and a bit of compromise sometimes.

Contemplating whether or not you should buy your first property can be a
daunting task. And the Chicago area offers so much variety, it might even be
overwhelming. If you are a soon-to-be-home-owner, you need all the help you can
get when buying a property.

You may think that all it takes is browsing through realtor’s brochures
and picking the prettiest property. Think again. Buying a property takes some
time, saving and patience. You are looking to find a perfect home at the end of
the day and don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot.

Luckily for you we offer a few helpful tips and useful advice that will
prove valuable, as we cover all the important details to keep in mind when
looking to purchase property in Chicago.

First Thing’s First

Having a down payment set aside is crucial to buying a home. So, we
recommend that you save up with as much advance as you possibly can, even
better if you’re only starting to consider a purchase in Chicago now.

Don’t leave it for later so you don’t have to let go of the perfect
property because you couldn’t come up with a down payment.

The rates might vary from 25% being the most common to as low as 3%.
However, as in most markets, you must bare notice to the fact that you get your
money’s worth, and the cheaper down payments typically come with Private
Mortgage Insurance as the seller is covering their back.

Pre-Approval Saves Time

Having good credit is paramount when applying for a loan, thus it is
only reasonable that you make sure of where your credit stands before deciding
on a definitive option.

Getting pre-approved for a home loan will tell you exactly where you
stand and what your wiggle room is before you start roaming through Chicago
looking at homes.

Know Your Needs

Another very important matter is getting real with what type of home
fits your lifestyle. The clearer you are in what you’re looking for, the faster
you will find it, and more than likely you’ll save money in unnecessary
features. If you do not need five bedrooms, then cross out 5 bedroom
properties.

Plan Ahead

We have recommended saving up for down payments and also getting
pre-approved. On that same note, it would be wise to also check out open
houses, parking space and think of your plans for the future. It will all help
in the long run.

The Bigger Picture

Some properties might have everything you need, yet lack some things you
want. Always be aware of the things you can change, the features that are just
whims, and just general small things that you might forego. Compromising some of
these might actually be a huge headache reliever.

All in all, we know from experience that if you invest but a little time
and effort into finding a home, you will be saving yourself more than just
money.

With a down payment, a preapproval, and all of your needs in mind, you are set for success and for finding the perfect home that Chicago has waiting just for you.

If you want to move out of your native country, and you are looking for
a good place to put down roots somewhere in the world, you have to go to
Chicago, in the United States! According to some magazines, Chicago has the
best suburbs in the country, and we are going to tell you why.

Aurora Suburb

The Aurora suburb has been shown in statistics about three times, as one
of the suburbs with the lowest crime rate in Chicago, and throughout the
country.

It is characterized by its employment opportunities, safe streets and
all the places that can be visited, such as parks, libraries, and many more
places.

The Aurora suburb is a multicultural community! People from all over the
world go there, and xenophobia is non-existent, as you can find Latin
Americans, Europeans, and Asians living here.

Economically speaking, it is a place where most people are middle class
based, and there are a few rich, and a few poor people. Salaries are attractive
and property prices are in line with what you can earn.

Glenview Suburb

Glenview is considered one of the most diversified areas in Chicago, has
a lot of services such as hospitals and schools. What most characterizes this
suburb is being an entertainment area for all the public.

There are music spots, wonderful restaurants with delicious meals and
also many other places to go out and enjoy with your friends.

Buffalo Grove Suburb

If you want to be nearby all the important places in the city, then the
Buffalo Grove suburb is the best option to move. Adlai E. Stevenson High School
is one that has won many awards and the best part of it is it’s located in this
suburb.

There are approximately more than 35,000 people living in the suburb,
who are friendly, confident and hardworking. Even having this amount of people,
it has low crime statistics. Usually, new programs are created to improve the
structure of the city in terms of public transport infrastructures to have low
statistics of road accidents.

Arlington Heights Suburb

It is said that Arlington Heights is more than 200 years old. This
community is characterized by its good people.

The suburb usually uses a web page that notifies its locals about what
is happening in the city and talks about any topic of interest. Most people do
charitable work to help the elderly and disabled people.

This suburb has a large number of public schools. The young people can
go out at night to chat and have a good time with their friends, adults can go
to pubs and it has several beautiful touristic places to visit. The neighbors
are very close and always try to help each other.

Longe Grove

This is a small suburb with a country atmosphere. If you like the
outdoors, Long Grove is ideal, as you will love everything you see around the
suburb. In Long Grove you can never be bored.

It has some very famous festivals that everyone loves. For example, during
springtime, you can do several activities for the festivals of the season.

Without a doubt these are the best suburbs to move to in Chicago, the
people are friendly, it has many beautiful touristic places to visit and a low
crime rate.